top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Commercial LPG 'evaporates' in Maharashtra

Mumbai : The short supply of commercial LPG cylinders turned ‘grim’ on Wednesday as hundreds of small and medium eateries – on whom the ordinary working Mumbaikars depend on for daily meals – shut down or drastically trimmed menus, on Wednesday.   With an estimated 50,000-plus hotels, restaurants and small food joints, the crunch is beginning to be felt severely, said Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) vice-president and Hotel and Restaurant Association Western...

Commercial LPG 'evaporates' in Maharashtra

Mumbai : The short supply of commercial LPG cylinders turned ‘grim’ on Wednesday as hundreds of small and medium eateries – on whom the ordinary working Mumbaikars depend on for daily meals – shut down or drastically trimmed menus, on Wednesday.   With an estimated 50,000-plus hotels, restaurants and small food joints, the crunch is beginning to be felt severely, said Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) vice-president and Hotel and Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI) spokesperson Pradeep Shetty.   “We are in continuous touch with the concerned authorities, but the situation is very gloomy. There is no response from the Centre or the Ministry of Petroleum on when the situation will ease. We fear that more than 50 pc of all eateries in Mumbai will soon down the shutters. The same will apply to the rest of the state and many other parts of India,” Shetty told  ‘ The Perfect Voice’ .   The shortage of commercial LPG has badly affected multiple sectors, including the hospitality and food industries, mass private or commercial kitchens and even the laundry businesses, industry players said.   At their wits' ends, many restaurateurs resorted to the reliable old iron ‘chulhas’ (stoves) fired by either coal or wood - the prices of which have also shot up and result in pollution - besides delaying the cooking.   Anticipating a larger crisis, even domestic LPG consumers besieged retail dealers in Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Akola, Nagpur to book their second cylinder, with snaky queues in many cities. The stark reality of the 12-days old Gulf war with the disturbed supplies has hit the people and industries in the food supply chains that feed crores daily.   “The ordinary folks leave home in the morning after breakfast, then they rely on the others in the food chain for their lunch or dinner. Many street retailers have also shut down temporarily,” said Shetty.   Dry Snacks A quick survey of some suburban ‘khau gullies’ today revealed that the available items were mostly cold sandwiches, fruit or vegetable salads, cold desserts or ice-creams, cold beverages and packed snacks. Few offered the regular ‘piping hot’ foods that need elaborate cooking, or charging higher than normal menu rates, and even the app-based food delivery system was impacted.   Many people were seen gloomily munching on colorful packets of dry snacks like chips, chivda, sev, gathiya, samosas, etc. for lunch, the usually cheerful ‘chai ki dukaans’ suddenly disappeared from their corners, though soft drinks and tetrapaks were available.   Delay, Scarcity  Maharashtra LPG Dealers Association President Deepak Singh yesterday conceded to “some delays due to supply shortages” of commercial cylinders, but assured that there is no scarcity of domestic cylinders.   “We are adhering to the Centre’s guidelines for a 25 days booking period between 2 cylinders (domestic). The issue is with commercial cylinders but even those are available though less in numbers,” said Singh, adding that guidelines to prioritise educational institutions, hospitals, and defence, are being followed, but others are also getting their supplies.   Despite the assurances, Shetty said that the current status is extremely serious since the past week and the intermittent disruptions have escalated into a near-total halt in supplies in many regions since Monday.   Adding to the dismal picture is the likelihood of local hoteliers associations in different cities like Pune, Palghar, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and more resorting to tough measures from Thursday, including temporary shutdown of their outlets, which have run out of gas stocks.

Estranged Thackeray cousins flaunt olive branches

Mumbai: Maharashtra politics suddenly went into a tizzy as the alienated Thackeray cousins waved olive branches at each other, signaling readiness to hug, kiss and thaw off their chilled relations by puffing away the pipe of peace after exactly 20 years.

 

Though the cousins – on the warpath since 2005 – have indicated they are not averse to joining hands, there have been murmurs of disapproval from some quarters.

 

As the issue turned serious, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut, MP, hurriedly spoke with the media today where he addressed the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray as ‘Raj-Saheb’.

 

“Both are Thackerays and both are (cousin) brothers. That relation is permanent. They may have had some political differences, so they went on independent paths… We are looking at it from a positive perspective. But, we shall adopt a wait-and-watch attitude,” said Raut, carefully choosing his words.

 

He pointed out how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to erase the ‘Thackeray name’ from Maharashtra politics, so the people of the state will welcome if the cousins patch up as they work for the interests of the state.

 

The SS (UBT) leader said his party would welcome those who feel that the “enemies of Maharashtra are our common enemies”, but cautioned that if their words and deeds are different, “we shall not give them a chance.”

 

Referring to the past few decades, Raut said that the (undivided) Shiv Sena had a 25-year long alliance with BJP which Raj had witnessed from close quarters, and in the recent years, “they merely used him for their politics”.

 

However, when attempts were made to break up his party, Uddhav decided to step aside and decided not to ally with those who benefitted the ‘enemies of the state’ – ostensibly taking a swipe at Shiv Sena led by Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

 

Uddhav has said repeatedly that there are ‘some powers’ which want to derail the state, and the SS (UBT) will never support such elements at any cost, as the party quickly posted a photo of Uddhav-Raj shaking hands on its official X handle.

 

“The (undivided) SS was founded by the late Hindu HridaySamrat Balasaheb Thackeray for the Maharashtrians… We belong to that same ideology and we are keeping an open mind now…” declared Raut.

 

He said that the differences (with BJP) started when it “gave shelter to the enemy of Balasaheb Thackeray”, but now if the two Thackeray cousins come together then it will be as per public sentiments.

 

Raj-Speak

In a much-debated interview with MNS President Raj Thackeray, 56, Marathi film director Mahesh Manjrekar posed a pointed question whether the warring cousins would ever come together.

 

Responding cautiously but positively, Raj said that the cousins may have their bitterness on issues, “but they proved dear for the people of the state and their existence”.

 

“I do not feel that coming together or remaining together is so very difficult… The question is of desire… not my willingness alone or for my selfish purposes… We must look at the larger picture. I feel that the Marathi people from all parties must unite and form a single political party,” said Raj.

 

Later he even expressed willingness to accept whatever conditions his cousin may impose, though some in the MNS seemed to be skeptical of the unfolding developments.

 

Uddhav-Speak

Ex-Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, 64, apparently softened his stance at cousin Raj and voiced readiness to lay down arms.

 

“There were no differences between us… But still I am prepared to put aside minor squabbles in the overall interests of the people of the state,” declared Uddhav at a Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (BKS) event today (Saturday, April 19).

 

Referring to Raj’s ding-dong politics vis-à-vis the BJP in the past nearly two decades, Uddhav laid down one condition that the (proposed) alliance may not work if they (MNS) “first support, then oppose, later compromise” with divisive forces.

 

“I shall have nothing to do with such people, neither meet nor greet them, or visit them ever… The stand should be clear - whether to come with me, or go with BJP or ‘gaddar-sena’ (Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde). First, take a vow in the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and then I am ready to clap back,” declared Uddhav, amid cheers and applause.

 

He reiterated that he was inclined to bury the hatchet over petty issues for the benefit of the Marathi people - significantly ahead of the upcoming civic elections in the state.

 

Thackerays’ ‘mama’ thrilled

As the feuding Thackeray cousins - Uddhav and Raj - dropped broad hints of becoming cosy, their maternal uncle Chandrakant Vaidya, known as Chandumama,  expressed joy over the turn of events, saying “it’s the wish of the people of Maharashtra”.

 

Vaidya remarked that the late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray would have been very happy on hearing this.

 

“I am really very happy and satisfied as their uncle, but I cannot comment on their political issues,” said Vaidya who had made several efforts for a rapprochement in the past.

 

He said the blessings of God and the ‘Marathi manoos’ are with the Thackeray cousins and it would lead to good things in future.

Comments

bottom of page